Search the right product = VST Instrument = classical orchestra

Dr.Mavro · 2023-05-08T23:48:15+00:00

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I am looking for a product with which I can reproduce a classical orchestra with the typical instruments as faithfully as possible.

I've looked through all the products, but haven't come up with anything; maybe I'm looking in the wrong way.

Does anyone have a clue?

Could the "KOMPLETE START" be a start?

Many thanks for any kind of tip!

P.S: Cubase Elements 12 on Windows 10 with Babyface Pro via ASIO

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JesterMgee

Well if you want an actual typical classical orchestra, you may have to set the bar a little higher than Komplete Start, and possibly Cubase Elements will be far too limited in available tracks to make it "faithful".

A "Classical Orchestra" has quite a number of players and instruments often over 50 odd and cover the whole pallet of classic instruments. There are some companies which specialise in this kind of content and you can make some allowances by cherry picking the basic elements but if you want full faithful gammet, you may need to open your purse strings as there isn't usually a single "product" but likely a bundle of libraries that you can get to fill out your desired orchestral template.

The NI Komplete 14 Collector's Edition could be a good start and offers a lot of strings and other instruments as a starting point, often with some limitations in articulations and such. Not an area i'm real experienced in and there will be others that can offer better examples of what they use but it can do some of the basics.

Otherwise you want to look at some full blown libraries like Project SAM, Vienna Ensemble Pro, East West maybe.... Just brace yourself for the cost and also, keep in mind that to handle these multi-GB monstrosities with the 30+ tracks you may need you will need a pretty capable computer with a LOT of available RAM and a lot of dedicated SSD drive space for the libraries.

Brad Yost

Amadeus Symphony Orchestra is KK/Kontakt compatible, reasonably sized footprint, ensembles, sections, and solo instruments with quite a few articulations available.

Last I checked it was $150 US.

https://sonicscores.com/amadeus/

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JesterMgee

Brad Yost

Amadeus Symphony Orchestra is KK/Kontakt compatible, reasonably sized footprint, ensembles, sections, and solo instruments with quite a few articulations available.

Last I checked it was $150 US.

https://sonicscores.com/amadeus/

Dr.Mavro

Thank you very much! As a beginner in the field of VST instruments, I learned a lot here and very quickly! E.g. I have never heard of the "Project SAM".

My challenges (because there are incredibly many Angeote); Examples:

how to search and find the best piano and string sound (violin, viola, cello, bass), for example.
once found and bought; how do I tie it in

Now:

Before I go into the monstrosities, I'm going to try "Komplete Start" to learn the technical integration first. Then I will organize the "NI Komplete 14 Collector's Edition" and start working with it. Then I'll have a look at the "sonicscores" page.

P.S.: A little story:

Very many years ago I picked out a (physical) sound module: A real concert grand piano and next to it a rack with sound modules + a small keyboard. That's how I found the best piano sound at that time (KORG X5DR). Now I'm switching to VST instruments and I'm faced with a huge mountain of offers - which I can't listen to all of them.

JesterMgee

One thing that can be useful is Komplete Kontrol which can take all your NKS compatible instruments and place them into a single browser that allows searching and loading of presets from all the plugins. Also has sound previews available so you can hear them before loading. All NI instruments are NKS and in my sig is my site where you can find NKS libraries for many other instruments. You can create a decent orchestral type of template by selecting the soundss you want from many plugins.

As for actualy finding what plugins to purchase, you kind of have to use youtube to search for examples or if they offer a test, download that. Really depends on what your budget and experience is as to what to get.

Dr.Mavro

Hello, thanks for the tips!

After discovering Native Instruments, I once installed KOMPLETE KONTROL along with the free starter bundle and can use it with Cubase. It technically works, but I can't do anything with the sounds in the in there. However, I have seen how huge Native Instruments' catalog is. Unfortunately, there are only the web listens and no trial period. So I will probably give the SYMPHONY ESSENTIALS a try.

I also followed the advice and searched further. IK Multimedia (Miroslav Philharmonik 2), Indiginus (Solid State Symphony) and KORG (Collection 4) didn't convince me at all, and I'm still not sure about SonusCore (The Orchestra) and SonicScores (Amadeus Symphonic Orchestra).

Finally I ended up with VIENNA SYMPHONIC LIBRARY (VSL) (weird, because I'm from Vienna, but am living in Munich since over 20 years). Here are various gradations in complexity (and sound) as well as from cheap to very expensive and also a number of simple free products, where I could first install the BIG BANG ORCHESTRA and also use it with Cubase. That impressed me then. No comparison - to my subjective ears - to all I've heard so far generated by a computer.

If one continue here, it will - as @JesterMgee already noted - firstly quickly expensive and my (strong) notebook much too weak for it. For this one would probably need an extra music pc.

Today I heard (only via the web) samples from the top end; a Bösendorfer concert grand (I know it) with 130 GB SSD and 32 GB RAM requirements. I played piano once and this left me speechless; but this is a long way off.

In between, I'm trying to refocus my music hobby (alongside my job) more on composition than technique; it's easy to get lost in the latter.

BTW: Does anybody here know somebody having experiences in this area? E.G. does one need a datacenter then? 😉

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